As we reported last week, The Larchmont Playhouse, a cultural center in its namesake village of Larchmont for more than 80 years, recently went up for sale. And in response, neighboring cinema The Pelham Picture House created a Kickstarter campaign in the hopes of collecting $125,000 that would both indicate community interest in their saving the space, as well contribute toward future operating costs.
Unfortunately, despite the Larchmont citizens’ and the Picture House team’s impassioned efforts—they had raised $85,000-plus in less than a week—the property on which the Playhouse sits has received an offer from an unknown outside developer to the tune of $1.4 million, according to the Picture House, a number they simply weren’t prepared to top. Consequently, organizers were forced to suspend the Kickstarter campaign.
Still, Picture House Executive Director Laura deBuys assures all supporters that their backing wasn’t for naught. “The Larchmont community was amazing,” she tells Westchester. “We were using the Kickstarter in two ways; one was gauging the interest of the community, and we feel that they came through loud and clear.”
deBuys added that while she cannot comment on prospective changes to the building, as the prospective developer’s intentions are as yet unclear (calls and e-mails to the real-estate agent handling the property were not returned by press time), she does strongly encourage the sustenance of independent cinemas like the Playhouse, asserting that, “It just adds to the vitality of the town.”
We will update you as more information is made available, and feel free to share your thoughts and reminisces about the Playhouse by tweeting us @westchestermag.
